Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (“SERS”) is a surface sensitive technique that results in the enhancement of Raman scattering by molecules adsorbed on the surface. SERS provides a significant enhancement in scattering efficiency over normal Raman scattering primarily due to the intense electromagnetic field in close proximity to the metal surface where molecules are adsorbed.
SERS has been widely used for uniquely identifying molecules with high detection sensitivity in chemical and biological sensing.